Listen to a reading of this story. ❖ A man walking along the beach came upon a boy picking up starfish and throwing them into the water. "What are you doing?" the man asked him. "I'm throwing these starfish back into the sea," the boy answered. "The tide's gone out and they'll cook in the sun if I don't help them."
Amazing... I am glad I found your writing. What began as a Jimmy Dore retweet has blossomed into a must read Newsletter. You are truly gifted. Thanks little talented starfish in the massive cosmos.
This was a great post. Here's an added angle that could play into such a story: The universe is evolving not only physically but perhaps also consciously. We are no longer the barbarian, pillagers, or audience of people hanging in village squares. We are constantly striving for greater justice and equality. From a Jungian and perhaps a broader idealist metaphysical perspective every act of love - as well as hatred - becomes part of the collective unconscious. Perhaps we should focus on adding love into that collective for the greater good of all.
The world you just described has no room for profit motive, which explains a lot about the one we've got. Such a stupid tiny itch, and look where it's gotten us.
You hold in your heart a deep and roaring rage against the wrongs of the world. And point them out with prose of agony and despair. So much so that there are some of your pieces I simply delete at the first paragraph because I know were I to read the rest I'd be haunted for the rest of the day.
And yet, within that same heart you possess a core of beauty and awe at this thing called life. And again, you're brave enough to share this with the world as well. I think...not know...suspect...that putting up these pieces exposes vulnerabilities you'd rather keep shielded.
Bigger question? Why are these starfish purposely killing themselves? And the guy who wants to jump off the cliff? How alike they seem to be. Is the tide the bad guy? Or the cliff? What is more normal than the tide? Or a cliff made by the ocean ruthlessly tearing it down? Why didn't these starfish understand that? Or the man? The boy? Well, he could be gathering them up, drying them, and selling them to tourist shops, they were made soooo available to him by the 'Universe', hardly no work at all. He rejected the bounty. Anyway, life could be gone tomorrow for EVERYTHING. Mother Nature does not care, she has no con-science. But is she a part of God's plan? The Universe is hard to fathom. So, I'm back to just believing in real good and real evil. Some starfish just need killing? Or toss some back. The man is mentally weak? He needs to man up? The boy isn't using his head? He's a good kid and throwing them back although they like where they were? I move between both of these worlds daily... It's a philosophical argument also as old as coherent human thought by humans who had enough to eat and thus, time to ponder...the meaning of life.
Amazing... I am glad I found your writing. What began as a Jimmy Dore retweet has blossomed into a must read Newsletter. You are truly gifted. Thanks little talented starfish in the massive cosmos.
Holy shit, Caitlin. You really get it. None of it matters and yet it all matters. It just is.
Trying to stop war in a world of warmongers.... one splash at a time!
Best post ever! Worthy of Krishna
Henry Miller meets Jean Paul Sartre meets Lao-Tzu meets Rumi. Superb writing!
WOW! This is something beautiful. I love what you do! Thank you for being you!
This was a great post. Here's an added angle that could play into such a story: The universe is evolving not only physically but perhaps also consciously. We are no longer the barbarian, pillagers, or audience of people hanging in village squares. We are constantly striving for greater justice and equality. From a Jungian and perhaps a broader idealist metaphysical perspective every act of love - as well as hatred - becomes part of the collective unconscious. Perhaps we should focus on adding love into that collective for the greater good of all.
The world you just described has no room for profit motive, which explains a lot about the one we've got. Such a stupid tiny itch, and look where it's gotten us.
You have written some great pieces previously. This one moved me most of all.
I totally loved this,
High five from the Arizona desert.
Beautiful 💜
It just hit me why you're so damn special.
You hold in your heart a deep and roaring rage against the wrongs of the world. And point them out with prose of agony and despair. So much so that there are some of your pieces I simply delete at the first paragraph because I know were I to read the rest I'd be haunted for the rest of the day.
And yet, within that same heart you possess a core of beauty and awe at this thing called life. And again, you're brave enough to share this with the world as well. I think...not know...suspect...that putting up these pieces exposes vulnerabilities you'd rather keep shielded.
This piece was beautiful.
Thank you.
That was beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you Caitlin
Bigger question? Why are these starfish purposely killing themselves? And the guy who wants to jump off the cliff? How alike they seem to be. Is the tide the bad guy? Or the cliff? What is more normal than the tide? Or a cliff made by the ocean ruthlessly tearing it down? Why didn't these starfish understand that? Or the man? The boy? Well, he could be gathering them up, drying them, and selling them to tourist shops, they were made soooo available to him by the 'Universe', hardly no work at all. He rejected the bounty. Anyway, life could be gone tomorrow for EVERYTHING. Mother Nature does not care, she has no con-science. But is she a part of God's plan? The Universe is hard to fathom. So, I'm back to just believing in real good and real evil. Some starfish just need killing? Or toss some back. The man is mentally weak? He needs to man up? The boy isn't using his head? He's a good kid and throwing them back although they like where they were? I move between both of these worlds daily... It's a philosophical argument also as old as coherent human thought by humans who had enough to eat and thus, time to ponder...the meaning of life.